Take to the Skies
by Edgewood
Summary: Matt will never regret becoming Mello's friend. Not even now, standing in the airport in front of his leather-clad friend, risking his life for the man's foolish need of proving himself. To him, it was kind of like a game. MM.
1. Prologue: Main Screen

**Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note. I do not own any of the characters that appear in this work of fiction. Except 'Dead Criminal Number 23'. Heh.  
WARNING: This is Yaoi. Slash. Whatever you want to call it. It won't change for the simple reason of someone disliking the fact of two males being together. If you do not enjoy this sort if thing, just press the back button. Easy as pie.**

_Italics is Matt's writing on his laptop. He keeps a log so his thought process don't get too jumbled and troublesome.  
_"This is for speaking."  
'These are thoughts.'

**I need a BETA. Any willing persons?..**

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**Take to the Skies!  
**Prologue**  
**

_I remember when I first met Mello. We didn't get along much, **I guess**__. Can't say much about that, though, since I was usually huddled in my room playing video games, anyway. So our meeting was by complete accident._

_You see, I paused my game and..._

---

Matt pressed on the large red button on the middle of the controller and huffed indignantly. His bladder was really starting to get on his nerves, making him pause in the middle of important boss-fights and important hidden scenes! The screen flickered and the items menu popped up as the small gamer stood up, dusting off his jeans and t-shirt from any invisible dust specks the articles might have gathered over the course of the day.

The small pressure of an impending headache forming itself was enough for him to toss off his goggles and throw them into the darkness of him room, landing with a slight thud on an empty box. He always felt that he spent too much time in front of a blinking screen, but couldn't find the will to stop doing so. It was in his nature to hide away and occupy himself with petty things, from fixing a computer to taking apart an old hand-held to figure out the mechanics.

The main reason for his being a hermit, though, was that he lacked the conversation skills.

He made L seem almost-normal with his social stupidity. So, due to that small fact, he avoided other people like you would avoid a large hole in the floor. It was pretty natural to him.

Naturally, the young man wouldn't know what to do in a situation where, per say, he bumped into someone he had never met.

Lost in his own thoughts, the young man ran on auto-pilot as he zipped up he pants and moved over to the sink. As an after-thought, he grabbed the toothbrush he kept in the cabinet and turned on the tap again.

So he wouldn't have to waste his time taking yet _another_ pointless trip for his bodily needs.

When the gamer finished, he turned off the small flow of water and put his toothbrush back and reached for the doorknob.

As Matt was about to pull the door open, it suddenly flew towards him, smacking him in the face. He groaned slightly and let go of the metal knob, hand reaching to check the condition of his nose. He raised his eyes to glare at the offender, who stood there with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

"Watch where the Hell you're going, Dumbfuck," A young, slightly taller male scoffed.

Matt simply rolled his eyes and walked around the taller - and most likely older - male, heading towards his dark room.

"Hey, what the Hell!?" The blond yelled, insulted by the lack of reply he had gotten out of the red-head. "I'm talking to you, Jerkoff-"

Matt slammed his door shut and locked it for good measure, blocking out any other insult the blond could throw at him.

Where was he? Oh, yeah. Boss battle.

---

_... and that's how I met Mello. First impressions don't really mean much to me, so that's a pretty big reason on why I talked to him again a few days after that first meeting and gave him my left-over candy. I was never a big chocolate eater, so it wasn't a big deal._

_Anyway. I never thought befriending him would make such a big impact on my life. There were good things, and bad. But no. I'll never regret meeting Mello._

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**Hum. Continue?**


	2. Chapter 1: Level One

**Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note. If I did, why the Hell would I be writing fan fiction about it?..**

_This is Matt/Mail typing on his laptop.  
_"This is people speaking."  
'This is Matt/Mail thinking.'

**So. Um. Right. I'm really bad at asking people for stuff, so I BETA'd this one myself. I wanna thank losethemask and slain angel for reviewing/alerting, and RobynLight for putting this story on their favorites. It means a crap-load that people think my writing is worth the time.**

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Take to the Skies!  
**Chapter one: Level One.

_I almost forgot about this laptop._

_Almost._

_It's around the beginning of November. L has fallen. Died...  
_

_Mello called me today. I'm flying to California. I know I'm sharp enough to figure out the true Kira._

_Though I'm pretty sure it's L's old 'partner'; the one he told us about when he visited about two years ago or so. I'm ready to prove it._

_It'll be fun. Like a game - like all I need to do is reach for the high score._

_---_

Matt stepped out of the airplane, exhausted. He never liked plane rides, they were always too annoying and too loud, filled with babies and elders and people who wanted to pass the time by talking to the person they were sitting next to.

He was never, ever a people person. He kind of prided himself for that fact, too.

More time to play video games uninterrupted.

The gamer looked down at his plane ticket to find where his bag would be dropped off - the bag that had all his electronics in it, cushioned by some clothes he decided to bring. He had a feeling he wouldn't be here long, so...

"Hello, sir! Do you need help finding where your luggage will be available for pick-up! Sir?" Matt turned around to find the short and pudgy flight attendant. His lips twitched slightly and he handed the attendant his flight ticket, who took it carefully and quickly read it over.

"Ah, yeah," she handed the ticket back to the skinny male. "Just go down the escalator and take a right until you see a row of conveyor belts. You'll know which one to wait at; it has your flight destination and number on it, the same as your ticket."

Matt was silent for a second, mulling over her directions, before he spoke. "Thanks."

"Not a problem! Have a nice stay!"

Messing up his hair and adjusting his goggles (That surely, by now, had made a red mark around his eyes from being too tight), he made his way down the escalator lazily, annoyed at the couple in front of him that were simply standing, enjoying the slow decent to the third floor with a casual conversation.

"They had good wine on the flight," the male laughed, snaking his arm around his petite blond casually. The girl responded with a small nod and a giggle.

"The flight attendant was the sweetest, too!"

Matt felt like groaning. This must have been the most pointless thing he has ever done.

About to shove his way past the couple, he felt relief when they took a step forward and made their way to the left, towards the car rental counter.

Matt sighed quietly, swiftly dodging the dodging the people crowing around the row of conveyor belts, worming his way to the front of the middle one, looking for his easy-to-spot suitcase.

"Matt."

The gamer craned his neck at the sound of his nickname, looking for the owner of the voice.

"God damn it, Matt!" the voice cursed. "Get the Hell over here!"

Matt couldn't help but smirk, recognizing his friend's short temper. He snaked his way through the thick crowd, away from the conveyor belt. He had to casually dodge some ill-placed baggage, too.

Not paying much attention to anything but the top of his friend's blond mug, he tripped over someones foot and toppled over - right on top of Mello.

The gamer breathed out another sigh and hoisted himself onto his elbows. "Hello." he said. "Nice to see you again, Mello."

"I wish I could say the same," the blond gritted out slowly. The red-head noticed beside them was his suitcase.

"Ah, Mello, you shouldn't have," Matt drawled, the corners of his lips quirking slightly. "Such a good friend."

"Get the fuck off of me," Mello replied, nearly growling now. "We have work to do."

"Can't leave that to your Mafia friends, hmm?" Matt whispered, a bored look on his goggled face. "I haven't seen you in a while. I'm sure we have some.. catching up to do."

"Funny," Mello shoved the shorter male off of him. "Never took you for such a blatant homo."

"Oh, Mello, you break my heart so," Matt drawled, balancing on the balls of his feet. "What do you want me to do, anyway?"

---

_I always had fun taunting Mihael. Except when he had a gun shoved in the back of his pants._

_That's... Yeah._

_Anyway, he started me with small things - posing as a security guard in a news station, bigging sertain rooms with small cameras and microphones. Nothing truly went on - They had given me the night shift when they had accepted my application and other shit. I really don't want to get into detail with the issues and papers._

_It's troublesome. I need to get some sleep._

_---_

"Ne, Mello, I'm pretty sure this news station doesn't know who the real Kira is. The guy seems pretty tactical with who he chooses to broadcast his.... demands." Matt mumbled into the small mic situated in his uniform. He felt slightly naked without his goggles and gloves.

It felt pretty un-natural without his Gameboy, too.

"Will you shut the Hell up and do some work?" Mello's voice snapped.

"Mmm," the younger male hummed into the mic. "I would try harder - if there was a prize at the end."

"Pervert," was the simple reply.

"Who says it was anything remotely about sex? Cigarettes, possibly," Matt mumbled his reply, adjusting the loose-fitting blue slacks that hung low to his hips, even with a belt on.

"Fine, whatever, just-" Matt could have sworn Mello sounded slightly embarrassed. But maybe it was just him. "Just check the main reporters desk for anything, alright? You have a few more hours to go before a shift change with another person."

"Alright, alright."

---

_I never did find anything but a few letters and a phone number that I shoved in my breast pocket for further investigation._

_But I knew this was only the beginning to an annoying 'game' of "Catch The Kira"._

_But it's okay. At least Mello's here, I guess._

_

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**Continue? TLC.**


	3. Chapter 2: Level Two

**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note.  
**

"This is someone/thing speaking."  
_This is Matt typing on his laptop.  
_'This is Matt thinking. How nice.'

**I managed to crawl out from the rock I'm living under and make some people read my shit again. Because I felt that the people who reviewed deserves it. On that note, muchos gracias / grazie molto to: slain angel, IronBell, Edward slept with Poison Akii, jinnabun, and I'mNoLonger14. I've replied to all of your awesome reviews; they all made me small all big and stupid.. Check out your e-mails if you _really_ want to read them. If you don't check your e-mails, .... Uh, tell me and I'll just begin to reply at the bottom of every chapter, I guess. _If I have to..._**

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**Take to the Skies!  
**Chapter two: Level two

_Day two, and I've got nothing. Jack squat. It doesn't help that I've been trying out some MMORPG games I found behind Mello's back while he's out threatening – or, as he calls it 'bossing around' – his Mafia friends._

_So, yeah, I'm getting no-where. But I can't really help it that this news station isn't giving me anything but a view of a few asses and 'top news' of the Kira Killings._

_Yeah, exciting, REALLY exciting._

_Guh. Now I'm just rambling – uh oh, Mello's back. Time to look professional._

_---  
_

Matt straightened his back and minimized the window he was typing on, restoring the window that had a film on the main rooms.

The gamer stared intently, as if the screen was his entire life, when he heard the blond step into the room. He pretended to be lost in thought, but still focused, as Mello began to speak to him.

"That second L bastard is really getting on my nerves," the blond muttered as he dropped down next to Matt, spreading his arms around the back of the couch. He crossed his legs and continued, "And Near.." Mello simply scoffed and scowled, turning his head to look at Matt's laptop screen.

"Hmm?" Matt hummed, turning his head. Mello bitchfaced, agitated at the fact that his mini rant was ignored. The gamer flicked the ash from his cigarette on his plastic ashtray before maneuvering to face his friend. "Mello.."

"What?" The taller male snapped, glaring at the screen where the news anchorwoman's cleavage was noticeable as she fixed her make-up. Matt twisted the screen away from the blonde.

"Are you sure you should…" The gamer paused and mulled over what he was about to say. 'Are you sure you should be working this hard to find one person?'

Matt silently cursed himself.

Of course Mello was working that hard to find one person! That one person is Kira. The red head shook his head at his own stupidity.

"Never mind," He said. "It's nothing."

I was sure that Mello was going to bite off my head at what I was about to say. He's not stupid.

Hell, even I'm ready to admit that he's a little smarter than I. But, to my surprise, he simply scoffed and stood up, proclaiming that he was going to buy himself some dinner and that I could turn in when the building's lights turned off.

Which was around 2 A.M. Or, well, right now. I'm fucking tired.

I can already tell Mello won't let me sleep past 8.

"Matt."

Shake. Shake.

"Matt."

Poke. Shake. Another shake.

"_Mail_."

"Go _away_," The gamer turned his head away from the sunlight streaming from the windows and towards the dark patterns of the cheap couch he fell asleep on around 3 A.M.

"Mail, wake the fuck up!" the voice growled, slapping the back of the younger man's head and shoving him onto the hardwood floor. Wires from his screens and laptops dug into his chest and face when he landed.

"I spent my night staring at absolutely nothing from your orders," Matt argued weakly, reaching for his Gameboy that found its way under the coffee table. He dragged it back to himself and flicked the power on, starting a new game. "What is it that you want at-" he glanced at an open laptop screen. "- 7 A.M.?"

"If you get some fucking pants on," Mello sniffed and scrunched up his nose. "And maybe take a shower, we can get some breakfast."

Matt looked up from the screen on his Gameboy, his fingers still blindly tapping on the worn buttons, and stared blankly at the male in front of him.

"You," the gamer drawled. "Want me to go have breakfast with you? I'm touched."

"I have another job for you," Mello glared. "Get up and get ready, damn it."

"Ah, and here I was thinking you actually cared," Matt pretended to sigh dejectedly and stood up, clad in only his boxers (for comfort while sleeping!) and made his way to the bathroom. "Be ready in ten."

Mello slammed a door in response.

---

_A little quality time with me might do the blonde some good, I think. He's too uptight, too into this little project of his._

_I'm **sure** we'll win. I'm **really sure** that Mello will show Near exactly where to shove his Transformer action figure when he captures and put Kira behind bars._

_I have full faith in Mello._

---_  
_

_I just beat my high score in Donkey Kong Country 2._

---

"Nice job," Mello supplied, having watched the younger man play the game for something to do.

"Yeah," Matt mumbled. "Wanna try? I'm bored of this game."

Mello hesitated before shaking his head. "No," he answered. "I have better things to do."

---

_Better things to do…_

_Yeah, like what?_

_Thing have been quiet for the past few days. If you call criminal constantly being cut off quiet, but…_

_What I mean is that we have no leads._

_…Whatever._

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**Continue? TLC.**_  
_


	4. Chapter 3: Level Three

**Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note. You're stupid if you believe I do.**

"This is a person talking."  
_This is Matt typing up his awesome thoughts.  
_'This is Matt thinking. Awesome.'

**First of all, today ain't Saturday. Haha. I lied to like five people. I'm an asshole. Well, my excuse is that I was downloading/reading manga for the majority of the day, so I lost track of time. Second, thank you ImNoLonger14 for telling me my mistake. You're awesome, haha. Lastly, thank you to jinnabun, slain angel, Chiyo Mai, EternityEchos, and ImNoLonger14 for reviewing, and Anne Marie Lovette, Naruto FMA Winchester-Potter** **and XxRainbow-DarknessxX for favoriteing this story, and the people who alerted this story. This was way too long..**

**Warning: Vulgar language, and slight OOC-ness with Mello. I don't understand how Mello acts during certain situations. Anyone think they can help me?**

**Sorry in advance for the typos.  
**

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Take to the Skies!  
**Chapter three: Level Three.

_This...** job**, is beginning to become unbearable. I don't think I can do this. I've stayed up for more than a week straight looking at so many damn cameras, working odd jobs and going to different police stations and schools. I've barely had time to play any kind of video game - Mello's been breathing down my back every since he caught me resting my head on the keyboard for a second._

_I feel like he has no faith in me. Tch. _

_Bastard._

_I'll __**make**__ him have faith in me. He'll see.._

_But for now I'm stuck looking over ten different screens for this other news station I put some tiny cameras in-_

---

The door slammed open and Matt quickly minimized the window he had been typing on. The gamer relaxed his pose and moved his eyes over the different screens, focusing on the one with the most movement.

"So do you need those dumb-ass goggles to see, or do you just wear them to look cool?"

Matt rolled his eyes and ignored the man that decided to loom over him - the one with his eyes bulging out of his eyes, he didn't exactly go out of his way to remember the goons' names - and turned to Mello.

"What do you need?"

"Death Note," was the simple response. Matt faltered for a moment.

"A what?" he turned to see Mello leaning against the island counter, holding a chocolate bar, giving the gamer an odd look.

"Do you know anything about.. Death Notes?" Mello asked, scowling. He seemed to be in a bad mood.

Or, well, more than usual.

"I..." Matt deflated. "No.." he heard a small scoff.

"Alright," Mello sneered. "thanks for your help. You're doing a great job."

Matt frowned at the computer screen in front of him, his face growing hot. It wasn't his fault he wasn't having luck in finding anything about Kira. Mello was the one telling him what to do. _Mello_ was the one who asked him to come _all the way over to L.A._ to waste his time sitting in some _shitty_ apartment staring at fucking **jack shit** all day.

Matt threw the laptop that had been sitting on his lap for the majority of the day and stood up, grabbing his Gameboy.

"Where the Hell do you think you're going?" Mello asked, his temper getting the best of the situation.

"I'm going OUT, Mello," Matt said, trying him best to stay calm. "For the first _fucking_ time in my life, I want to go the fuck outside and walk the _fuck_ around. I'm sick of staring at _nothing_ all day, just for you." he paused. "_Always_ for you."

The gamer paused again before kicking at a pile of empty take-out boxes. He didn't bother to grab his vest before stomping out the door, ignoring the stream of curses that Mello was throwing at him.

Matt never thought It'd feel so good to walk away from the blond.

---

"Hello sir, would you like to try our-?" Matt shook his head at the woman holding out a small sample of food on a toothpick and turned away, crossing the street.

People could be so annoying at times.

His cellphone had stopped ringing about two hours ago, after he had gotten tired of beating the same game over and over, while he was sitting on a small park bench watching two little kids climb the jungle gym. They had looked happy, like they were in their own world where they had to climb to the top to save the princess, only to find the she was in another castle... So they would jump down and start all over again, joking around and laughing.

The gamer sighed, taking out another cigarette and sticking it between his teeth, lighting it up with a cheap lighter Mello had bought for him the other day.

Mello...

Matt took out the Gameboy he grabbed before he had left the apartment. It was a bright green one, cluttered with Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh stickers he put on it from his various stages of dork-ness. He always carried it around, like it was a special kind of comfort object, like a stuffed animal of some sort.

The thing was, Mello had given it to him.

Well, Mello had thrown it at him and yelled, 'Stupid ten year-old retard'. It had been a gift for his birthday.

Even though it was given to him in a rather.. unorthodox way, it held some kind of precious light. It showed him that Mello cared enough on some level to give him something on such an unimportant day.

Matt was pulled from his thoughts as a loud ring tone sounded.

The red head reached into his back pocket and flipped it open, bringing it to his ear.

"Yes?"

"Matt," Static.

"Who's this?" Matt asked, pocketing his green Gameboy.

"Stupid.." The voice mumbled. Ahh. Mello.

"What do you want?" The gamer ran his gloved hand through his hair, looking around the empty street.

"I..." Mello's voice paused, then let out something in between a sigh and a growl. "Look. I'm sorry, alright?"

"For what?" Matt stopped walking, sitting on the curb of the street. His legs were tired from circling the same blocks over and over.

"For.. for being an asshole?" Mello sounded unsure. Very unlike him. It didn't sound right to Matt, hearing Mello seem... Unsure of himself, of what he was saying.

"What do you want me to do?" Matt knew when Mello wanted something. Whenever Mello was trying to be nice, he always ended up doing something for the older male.

"Nothing," Mello's voice snapped. "Just come back to the apartment, alright? And.. rest, or something."

Matt couldn't help the small smile that stretched his lips. He replied, "See you in fifteen." and shut his phone.

---

_When I got back home Mello ended up trying to kick my ass. Kicking and punching, yelling something about me being an ass. The other stuff I didn't get._

_We ended up in a pretty kinky position, though. Which Mello ended up punching me for voicing the fact._

_Hn. It's not like I plan these stupid 'happenings'._

_Anyway. I need some rest. I think I'll sleep for the three day 'vacation' he's giving me._

_I'm so sleep deprived..._

---

**Continue? TLC.**


	5. Chapter 4: Level Four

**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note.**

_This is Matt typing.  
_"This is someone speaking."  
'This is Matt thinking. He wants the new CoD game.'

**Thank you: slain angel, Chiyo Mai, EternityEchos, ImNoLonger14, and Taio Ryder.**

**I'm sorry for the long wait. I was looking for someone who could update my fic. while I am away for three weeks, but couldn't. Here's the ridiculously short chapter four. I'ma try to update with a much longer chapter on Monday, before my flight. Sorry again.**

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Take to the Skies!  
**Chapter four: Level Four.

Matt let out a frustrated growl as he tore apart the old couch that also served as his work-place and personal bedroom.

"Where the fuck are they..." the gamer asked himself as he got onto all fours, checking under the couch for the umpteenth time. "_Fuck._ Where _are_ they?"

Mello, standing behind the gamer, had his arms crossed and was tapping his foot impatiently. "Come on, Matt. No-one cares about your stupid fucking goggles."

After another ten minutes of Matt muttering to himself and Mello resisting the urge of kicking Matt in the ass, the gamer settled for leaving a note on the door for any of Mello's less-than-smart mafia connections that came by while they went out for a supply run.

_My eyes hurt. _

_I'm getting a headache._

_Someone decided to be a dick and steal my goggles._

_I will rip your dick off and shove it down your throat if I don't have it back by the time I return from getting supplies. Then I will SHOOT you where your dick used to be, and shove my foot so far up your ass, you'll taste it._

_This is a promise, not a threat._

_-M._

Matt was starting to regret leaving the Whammy house to help Mello. He barely ever had enough free time to even beat Super Mario Brothers, and that's a pretty easy game to beat.

To say he felt depressed was an understatement.

All he wanted was to get his hands on that Gameboy and..

"Matt."

Matt snapped out of his thoughts to face Mello, who was holding a small, thoroughly taped cardboard box.

"Yes?" He asked, looking around the empty isle that was suspiciously deserted. "What did I do?"

The blond gave the gamer a look that clearly asked, What _did_ you do?

The leather-clad male cleared his throat. "Are you done yet?" he shifted his box to the other hand. "We don't have all night."

"That's a pity," Matt frowned, seemingly looking dejected. "I was hoping to pay for a motel room and-" a swift, and well-placed, heel-kick to the gamers stomach immediately kept him winded and unable to finish the rest of his offer.

Matt wheezed, clutching at his stomach, as Mello walked away with an air of smug satisfaction around him.

Around 2 AM, Mello had decided to meet up with his Mafia connections, leaving Matt alone in the apartment.

Completely awake (due to an energy drink he had grabbed quickly before leaving the store).

With his Gameboy not even two feet away from him.

Matt couldn't help the small smile that stretched his lips and reached for the handheld, happily loading his saved game.

As the cheerful tune reached his ears, he couldn't help but pretend he was back at the Whammy house without a care in the world.

Matt was studying Mello silently, pretending to be 'lost in thought'. Coincidentally staring in Mello's direction.

Because that just happens.

Matt tilted his head, thinking back to the Whammy house. The blond had always been a... disturbed child. Yet, the gamer couldn't fathom why Mello was the way he was.

Mood swings, the chocolate, the leather.. The all-around scary facial expressions the blond made with his emotions.

The gamer knew he was being used by Mello to an extent. He wasn't stupid. He wasn't easily manipulated - that's why he wasn't trying very hard to find leads. He was no-ones dog.

Maybe he could make an exception for Mello.

Maybe.

_I'm screwed._


End file.
